Two Months
by Grnigirl
Summary: Jane's been back with the team for two uncomfortable months. She's finally beginning to work things out in some of her relationships. Or, she's at least seeing things begin to change.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Blindspot or the show's (amazing!) characters. I just enjoy playing with them because, you know, they're amazing.**

 _This story is set sometime in season two, but I'm essentially ignoring most of the story line from the season. Hope you enjoy…_

* * *

 **Two months**

It had been two months.

Two months since Jane had returned to the team.

Two months since they'd learned what she'd done.

Two months since they'd learned what she went through when they turned her away.

Two months since Weller's world had been turned upside down. Again.

 **5 ½ months**

It started five and a half months ago, but it was the day she was electrocuted for the 4th time that Jane stopped hoping someone else would help her. And it was the day they drowned her for the 6th time that she'd stopped being Jane – forgetting that woman's hope and kindness; those were of no use here. The woman she was next knew no one else was going to help her, so she bided her time, and on her 91st day with the CIA that woman helped her damn self to an exit.

And that was the woman who returned, against her will, to the FBI.

* * *

 **It's Complicated**

It wasn't a truce, but more of a cease fire between the Jane and the team initially. But over time, things began to change. The first shift happened when the team found themselves protecting Jane. It was clear she wasn't going to do it herself; she'd agree to anything Nas proposed, no matter how dangerous. So the team found themselves looking for safer options or saying no altogether to plans that were just too risky, even for her.

Bit by bit they started trusting her again in the field, and the constant negative chatter about her died down. Slowly, they started to take care of her in other ways too- simple ways at first, like offering a friendly smile or reminding her to eat and sleep. Then they started inviting her to join them for meals when they were around, or offering her a ride home- at least they'd know she went home instead of working all night.

Taking care of Jane became a game within the team, a ritual almost, and they all played. Because not only was Jane important to them and to the mission, she was also important to Weller. They saw what he was going through each day, and noticed the glances and how he started watching her again; and they watched Weller twitch and flex and chew his own teeth whenever something involved Jane, and they knew that by taking care of her, they were also taking care of Weller.

Weller had changed after Jane left them. No one blamed him after all he'd been through, but they all worried when he didn't seem to move past it, didn't seem to get better even after all those months. It seemed to the team that between his father and Jane, something had been taken him. His reaction wasn't just grief, or anger, it was more. It was like he had less to give, like there was somehow less of him. And the shadows that had always lurked in his eyes seemed more present somehow.

Over time, taking care of Jane stopped feeling like an obligation to the team and more like the right thing to do. It was complicated, sure, but the more they saw from Jane and the more they watched Weller, they knew it was the right thing to do. Really, the only thing to do.

 **Jane**

Jane was sad to have lost the rest of the team, but losing Weller was what broke her. It broke her in a way the CIA was never able to, and it broke her in a way that she knew would never be fixed. She knew he wanted nothing to do with her – hell, she heard him say as much – and yet she gravitated to him.

And despite the pain that loss and their daily interactions caused her, she kept finding herself drawn back. As she grew more confused about who she was and what she was supposed to be, she found herself increasingly turning to Weller to help her bring order to the chaos that surrounded her.

Slowly, Jane and the team had found a sort of equilibrium- a way to work together effectively without really being a team. She and Weller however… the hurt and pain between them still had both on guard from the other. And yet, she felt moments when one of their walls would slip, and from time to time she caught glimpses of the old Kurt. He was the most important person in her life, but she still wasn't sure if he wanted any part of her life or if having her near was just a necessary evil, a professional necessity. But more and more, they seemed to have moments where it felt, at least to Jane, like more.

* * *

 **Fieldwork**

It was a Thursday, when a case went wrong. The team and Jane were in the field when they realized they were pinned down and out gunned. The other side was looking for Jane – _someone was always looking for Jane_ , thought Weller – and the team was spread out. Zapata was on a roof, Weller was on the first floor of the same building, Reade was on the third floor of the building across the street. And Jane, Jane was clearing the alley next to them when things went wrong. She always volunteered for the shit jobs, and this time Weller had a feeling it had been a very bad decision to let her work on her own. He knew in his gut they were looking for her.

When the first shots were fired, they noticed they were targeted – three shots, but these were scope shots, not automatic weapon fire. Weller yelled into coms for the team to report. Reade was first, "here, eyes on the street, looks like two or three more providing support out there", then Zapata "here – visual on shooter's location, but no shooter. I got three in the building, first and second floors". Weller waited for Jane to report. It was a minute that felt like an eternity. He stopped breathing and felt his eyes press closed as he leaned against the wall, hoping to stay up despite the weakness in his legs. She didn't respond and he felt the blood rushing to his extremities, and the panic flow through him. "Jane, report!" he yelled. Then, in addition to the background noise they'd been hearing, they heard panting and a few thuds on coms, a shot fired and some more thuds. They heard her panting and more thuds, then two more shots. "Jane!" yelled Weller. Finally, Jane replied, "west side of the building- clear, three down" she said, still breathing heavily.

Weller inhaled for the first time since the initial shots were fired, and felt his blood begin to thaw.

The team continued to fight until it seemed they were all out of moves. Weller was trying to formulate a plan when he heard Jane over coms, "Weller, I can draw them out, Reade and Zapata will have clean shots" she said.

"We don't need you to do that Jane, just hold on" replied Weller, the tension clear in his voice. As he finished, two shots were fired and they heard Reade gasp. Weller yelled "Reade!", and the man responded "they've got me pinned down, but I'll have a clean window shot."

Jane's voice was clear over coms; she was ignoring Weller's order. She said calmly, "Weller, coming to you. I need cover in 5… 4… 3... 2… 1…" He was furious that she was ignoring his direct order, but was glad she gave him warning because as she counted down, Weller felt the world around him shift into slow motion. Although his breath grew faster, he felt every movement, felt the synapses firing in his brain, and a flood of adrenaline releasing into his blood. He felt like his skin was just one extended nerve ending, absorbing every sensation around him; he could feel the air. And his brain was heightened somehow, focused on one thing: protecting Jane. His body was flooded with adrenaline and who knows what other hormones, but his hands were perfectly still and his eyes perfectly focused and slightly dilated, ready to do whatever needed to be done.

On her count, Weller released a barrage of bullets, picking off their enemies as she ran. He saw everything all at once, his brain acting on reflex and a sense he had never experienced before. Jane approached, running at full speed in a crooked line before crashing through the opening above him and tumbling over him to the floor. Incoming shots continued and he lunged at her, pulling her from the floor and slamming himself into the side wall, arms around her, before turning them over to cover her with his body as quickly as possible. He covered her completely, wrapped her head in his arm, and wrapped his other arm around her waist while he pressed her to the wall, away from the incoming fire.

After a moment she yelled in his ear "hope I didn't hit you on the way in!" Weller looked up with a surprised smirk on his face. Their faces were only a couple inches apart, and he smiled briefly as he looked her in the eyes and shook his head, then as his smile seemed to spread, put his head back and pressed her against the wall again.

He remained there, covering her completely except her face, with an arm wrapped protectively around her head while he listened to Reade and Zapata handling the remaining shooters. Weller's body and mind were still in that state, perceiving everything through all of his senses, his mind overloaded yet perfectly focused. And he was focused on Jane. He felt her breath against his neck, his hair there rising against his will. He felt her body under his, and he felt his panic subsiding.

As he did, Weller realized it was because all he cared about was right there in his arms, safe.

The realization passed over him like a wave. It was a current he'd been fighting against for some time now, staying close to the beach, or getting out of the water altogether when the pull felt too strong. But this time… this time he held his breath and allowed himself to be pulled under, and let his body and mind drift in the waves of that realization, as he held onto Jane.

As they stood there, Jane felt a shift in him. After he looked at her, his body and face softened slightly, molding into her, pressing a little more than professional responsibility would require.

For the first time in over five months, as Jane stood pressed against the wall with Weller's body covering her, she felt a change. It was like small waves were washing through her body, and with each wave she felt bits of the woman she was before awaken. She felt Jane. And she felt protected. The warmth slowly washed through her as she waited for the firefight to end, enjoying the feel of Weller pressed against her, and a sense of personhood – of Jane – beginning to return to her.

As she felt the shift, she also felt herself leaning into him, face closer to his neck, and her body extending and increasing their contact. They both felt a slight flush wash through their bodies, heartbeats increasing slightly. Their bodies understood and enjoyed this dance, even if the two of them could neither understand nor explain what was happening between them.

When they heard Reade provide the all clear, Jane was surprised to find Weller staying just where he was, pressed against her for a minute before moving. When he did, he slowly dropped his arm from around her head, shifting it to her waist instead, and leaned back slightly, looking at Jane with a look of surprise, confusion, and concern. He had no idea how she would react to what had just happened or what he'd just done, or if she even noticed. Honestly, he was afraid of what he'd see when he looked at her.

She looked at him calmly, almost kindly, and offered him a single slow nod, eyes never moving from his, as a faint smile crossed her lips. She turned slowly and walked away, Weller not moving his eyes or his feet until she was out of sight.

It was a quick debrief when they got back. Weller's mind was elsewhere anyway, and he'd found himself staring at Jane more than once during the meeting. Once, he realized he was just staring at her, mind wandering while Reade spoke. He quickly looked away but instead caught Zapata's eye. She cocked her head slightly and raised an eyebrow as a small smirk crossed her face. Weller had looked away, putting a stern look back on his face, and quickly finished up the meeting.

The team had largely scattered after the debrief; Reade and Zapata disappeared, probably to grab a drink somewhere. Jane disappeared silently, as she always did. And Weller hid in his office, finishing paperwork.

He decided to grab a drink before heading home and decided to walk to bar just a few blocks from the FBI, hoping the walk and the cool air would help clear his head and the drink might help him relax after the day. Hell, after the last year.

* * *

 **Recovery**

Weller ducked into the bar, and sat down near the bartender who offered a smile and a familiar hello. Kurt ordered his regular, drinking his drink and losing himself in thoughts of the day and of the last few months. He ordered another; Weller felt like his body was still on fire from the day, still sensing everything, and still feeling overwhelmed by it all. He hoped the dark liquid would soothe his body and his mind.

As he sipped, Weller slowly looked around the bar and out the front window. When he did, his heart stopped for just a beat, falling into his stomach. There sat Jane, cross legged in a booth, lost in thought as she drew in her sketch book and sipped her drink. She was beautiful, and he felt himself unable to look away, staring at her lost in her own head. He felt a freedom- maybe it was the liquor, maybe it was the distance- to look at her, really look at her, which he hadn't allowed himself in much too long.

He wasn't sure what to do next, so he ordered another drink to think about it.

The bartender chuckled as he poured his drink, seeing Kurt stare at the lady in the front booth. He chuckled, "very quiet, but attracts a lot of attention around here. Probably everywhere she goes" he added with a smile, "hard to look away, right?" he said, turning to Kurt. Kurt nodded in agreement with a slight smile of his own and looked back at the bartender. "Never leaves with anyone, but no shortage of guys trying" he said laughing. Kurt glanced back at Jane, he saw a man approaching her, offering her a drink.

The bartender saw Kurt stiffen and he leaned over with a smile after looking to see what might be causing his reaction, "don't worry about that one" he said with a chuckle, "she can take care of herself just fine" he added, eyes twinkling.

Kurt looked back at him questioningly, and the bartender continued after leaning a bit closer "sometimes she comes in late – must have funny hours or something. A couple weeks ago Tim – our bouncer – said two guys were giving her trouble outside on her way out. Tim was getting up to give her a hand but she dropped both of those fellas to the ground before he even got all the way out of his seat!" He let out a full belly laugh at that, leaning back "probably twice her size, by the way! We gave her dinner on the house the next couple times she came in" he added, still smiling. "Yeah," said Kurt, sipping his drink again and looking back over to Jane, "sounds about right" he added, a smile curling the edge of his lips as he took another drink. The bartender leaned back, watching Kurt, and wondered if maybe there was more to his preoccupation with the pretty brunette in the front booth. "Let me know if you need anything Kurt" he said with a smile, walking away to help another patron.

Weller sipped his drink in silence for a few more minutes before finally deciding to go say hello to Jane. He tried to think of an excuse, but he knew she'd see right through anything he came up with. He considered just leaving the bar, but once again he felt himself drawn to her and he realized he didn't want to fight it anymore. He remembered this afternoon, pressing against her, and the feeling he had when he knew she was safe. It was the first time he felt clarity in far too long. Weller slowly stood up, eyes never moving from her, and walked slowly over to her table.

"Hey" he said, smiling nervously as she looked up "didn't expect to see you here" he added with a small smile. "Feel like company?" he asked nervously, unsure how she'd react. Jane looked up in surprise and nodded quickly "sure" she said, smiling and gesturing to the empty seat across from her.

"Thought I'd grab a drink on the way home – quite a day today, huh?" Weller said, looking at Jane tenderly. She looked down, smiling slightly and replied "seems like they all are, doesn't it?"

* * *

 _Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!_

 _P_ _lease let me know what you think so far!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Blindspot or its (amazing!) characters, I simply enjoy playing with them.

* * *

"Guess I wasn't the only one that could use a drink today" Weller said with a smile as he sat down across from Jane, and she closed her sketch book, shifting it to the side.

"Yeah, I couldn't stomach going to my safehouse yet, thought I'd stop somewhere first" Jane said wistfully, looking up at Weller with a slight smile as he sat down.

He watched her as she spoke, and noticed the tension in her face and body. "Good job today. Must be hard - field work, with everything going on" Jane looked down, _of course she's not going to admit anything's hard_ , he thought to himself as soon as the words left his mouth. Before she could respond he added, arching an eyebrow, "actually, I probably owe you a drink after today… or, have you eaten?" he asked with a small smile. Jane couldn't help but notice the kindness and concern in his eyes, and it shook her slightly. "I'm not really hungry, but I'll take you up on the drink" she said with a small smile. Weller found himself smiling in response. "Good" he added.

Weller could see from her reaction she was confused by his gesture. _Well, of course she is, you haven't exactly welcomed her back, and she's been playing yo-yo between you, Nas and Sandstorm for weeks. Now you're smiling at her and trying to buy her dinner…_ he scolded himself. Their relationship had been strained, at best, since her return and he'd been anything but consistent in how he'd treated her.

He gave her a final look and a smile and went up to the bar to order another round, returning with two drinks and sliding Jane's over to her as he sat down.

"So how _are_ you doing, Jane?"

Jane smiled tentatively at him and looked out the window, "about the same, I guess" she said vaguely. She was surprised just to have Kurt talking to her and didn't want to ruin it but reminded herself, y _ou promised you'd be honest with him_. Jane slowly looked back at Kurt, pausing for a moment before continuing. "It's hard, I guess" she added quietly. "Not the physical stuff, but just…" she trailed off.

Kurt watched her, and leaned in slightly without noticing it.

"Everything else. It's hard not knowing who I am… and feeling like I'm deciding that with every choice or decision I make. It probably sounds stupid" she said, shaking her head "but it's exhausting." Jane looked down, and shut her eyes briefly, before looking back up and straight into Kurt's eyes "especially when I have to make decisions I don't like" she added.

Kurt nodded, understanding. "I get it. I can't even imagine what it's like for you." _She's been put in an impossible situation_ , he thought to himself. A _nyone else would have cracked long ago._

Jane leaned back, and with a stronger voice said "but I did this to myself, and now I have to fix it" she said, a determined look on her face.

 _God, she never gives up,_ Kurt thought.

He waited until she looked back at him before he replied, "but Jane, not by yourself" he said, leaning forward, urging her to understand. Jane smiled sadly at him, not responding to his statement. Weller knew she didn't agree with him, but he wasn't going to push it. Not yet.

They sat in silence for a minute, both sipping their drinks lost in thought, until Jane smiled, deciding to change the subject. "So how are _you_ , Weller?" she asked, "We haven't really spoken much…but I know this is all a lot for you too" she added.

He smiled gently, but kept his eyes on hers, pausing. "Not great" he said slowly. He offered a tentative smile and a small shrug of his shoulders.

"What do you mean?" asked Jane, voice soft as she leaned forward, her eyes on his face as he spoke.

"Just trying to figure some things out, I guess."

Weller decided to change the subject, to something a little safer than how he was feeling at the moment.

He glanced over at Jane's sketch book. "So, what are you drawing?" he asked, motioning over to her book.

Jane smiled. "Not much I guess, I just try to… it helps me think, sort things out" she said softly.

"Hmmm" Kurt said, nodding, not wanting to pry. "Does it work?" he asked.

Jane smiled, "no, not really, but I keep trying" she said with a chuckle.

Jane thought for a moment, then slowly reached over, sliding the book over and holding it in front of her. She slowly flipped through a few pages before putting it down on the table between them.

Kurt looked at the page, "wow," he said, "that's amazing." It was a drawing of her brother, Roman. Kurt was blown away by the detail she captured of him, and slowly looked over the rest of the drawing. There were phrases, questions and pictures seemingly swirled around him throughout the page.

Jane looked at the picture with Kurt for a moment, "he's my brother, my only family" she said softly, "and he's violent, and _dangerous_ , and he'd do anything to protect me - I can feel it. And I have to lie to him every day. I'm betraying him, _my_ _family_ …" she added, eyes glistening as she spoke. "So I keep trying to find another way, where I can help him."

When she finished, she kept her gaze on the page, losing herself in her thoughts. Kurt, however had looked up at her as soon as she started to speak and saw the pain and guilt written all over her face as she did. "I'll help" he said.

Jane nodded, looking up at him as she did with a silent thank you.

* * *

 **Distance**

Without moving his eyes off her, Kurt felt his hand reach over to cover Jane's. She looked down at their hands and gave a weak smile as they sat for a moment, quiet in their closeness.

It was less than a minute of quiet, but Kurt's mind had wandered. So he was surprised when she spoke, by both the sound and the tone of her voice. "Kurt, I don't…" she said, shaking her head. There was a sharpness to her voice, and he felt the distance between them return like a cold wind. She pulled her hand back gently and looked up at him, "I don't know… I don't know what this is. You've been clear, you don't trust me and don't – don't even want to be in the same room as me" she added, pausing and leaning back further in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest, a quick look of pain crossing her face. "And I understand that. But I don't –I don't understand this..." she said, shaking her head again and looking back at him.

Weller's face dropped as soon as she said it. _Shit,_ he thoughtas his shoulders dropped and he quickly closed his eyes. _You're lucky she hasn't called you on that before,_ he thought. He'd conveniently pushed some of the things he'd done and said to her out of his mind, but it was clear Jane hadn't. She'd given him space and hadn't pushed him, but she obviously hadn't forgotten. M _ost of the time she just seemed to let it pass, like he wasn't important enough to her to react,_ he thought, a _t least she's calling you on it_.

"I'm sorry, Jane. I'm not proud of how I've been acting, or some of the things I've said." He paused and looked at her.

He continued tentatively, quietly, "I don't know how it's supposed to work – us," he said. "When we first met, I tried saving you," he said with a scoff, rolling his eyes at how ridiculous that now seemed, "I tried hating you… I tried ignoring you." Kurt paused, his voice shaking just a bit as he looked at her, "and I tried keeping my distance, treating you like… just another agent." Kurt paused, looking down and furrowing his brow, trying to find the right words. "And none of those worked. Because you don't need saving, and I don't hate you. I can't ignore you. And you're _definitely_ not like any other agent." He shook his head gently, and he actually chuckled a bit at the thought of those things.

His face grew soft as he continued, "and it always comes back to you." His voice was gentle and hoarse and much more serious as he finished. "Jane, I do trust you. And I want you in my life, I just don't know how this is supposed to work."

Kurt paused, not sure what else to say. He looked at her, trying to read her reaction.

As he did, he felt that sense of panic he felt this morning begin to flow through him. His blood ran cold as he imagined the possibility of life without Jane, and grew colder the longer she paused.

Jane watched him the whole time he spoke, trying to understand. She never expected to hear the things he said, and she felt like her brain was playing catchup.

Less than six months ago, she went from friend and partner to liar and pariah. The hands that had so gently held her became the hands that pointed a gun at her head and put her in handcuffs. And those same hands let her go… without caring where she went. And since then… well, no one would use the word gentle to describe anything in her life.

"Kurt, I don't know how it's supposed to work either, or if it can. What I went through, it changed me. Until today, I've felt like _someone else_ since the night you arrested me."

"What do you mean, you changed?" Kurt asked, concern thick in his voice. Jane looked down slightly, "it's just different, when you realize you're alone. I never realized how expendable I was to all of you." Kurt actually sucked in a breath, "Jane-" he started to interrupt but she waved him off. "I'm not looking for pity, Kurt. I'm just stating what we both know. When I was in that hell, there was no one helping me. And no one was missing me. I'm alone in this world Kurt, and I can only rely on – trust - myself."

Kurt sat frozen for a moment, thinking about what she'd said. "You said 'until today'…"

Jane sat a moment, looking at him. "Yeah," she said, looking over his shoulder with a distant stare. Kurt waited for her to continue. "When we were back in that building, and you were covering me…" she said, looking back to his face and watching him. He was leaning forward, listening intently to her, but she saw a nervous look cross his face as she continued. "It felt like you were… taking care of me," she said, feeling a little embarrassed, "I forgot how that felt, and I guess it made me remember what it was like to be the old Jane. How nice it was."

"Jane-" he said, more a plea than anything else. Weller felt sick after listening to what she said, and he was angry about all he'd put her through trying to stay in control, and save his pride.

 _Here goes nothing_ , he thought to himself, _you owe her this_.

* * *

 **Weller figures it out**

"Jane, I understand what you're saying. And I understand how it feels to try to figure out who you are; I'm kind of doing the same" he said. "That's part of why I'm here, instead of home. Of course, the beautiful brunette didn't hurt either" he added with a smile and a quiet laugh as he glanced sideways at Jane. Jane looked at him quizzically. "I used to think I knew exactly who I was, and how things worked – and things usually went the way I expected. And now…" he paused, smiling shyly at her, "I don't, and they don't," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "But I have you," he said gently, hoping she wouldn't take that the wrong way. He looked down into his drink. "So I guess I'm trying to figure some things out too" he said quietly, pausing and looking up at her before looking away again.

"I don't… I don't understand" Jane said softly, confusion evident on her face.

"I know" he said softly. "I'm not sure how to-" he stopped abruptly, shaking his head. Weller paused and took a deep breath, looking back at her while he collected his words.

"Today. In the field, when you didn't respond, I couldn't breathe, Jane. And I didn't feel better until I could cover you, and I could _feel_ you were safe. After that damn run of yours!" he said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled nervously at her, continuing softly, "it's not the first time I've felt that way. But it only happens when it's about you. With you, it's always so…strong. I'm not proud of how I've been acting, or treating you. I'm just trying not to mess things up."

Jane didn't respond immediately, but took a moment to think about what he said. "I don't know what to say…" she said softly, then she looked up at Kurt, "but it's nice talking. Maybe we could do this more often?"

Kurt paused, as a slow smile crossed his face. "Yeah. I'd like that" he said, looking back at her. She saw the kindness in his eyes once again and almost had to look away. "Dr. Borden probably would too" he added with a chuckle.

Jane laughed out loud at that comment before agreeing. Kurt looked at her as she did, realizing how long it had been since he'd seen her laugh. Kurt found himself once again overwhelmed with a wave of emotion as he looked at her, eyes bright and a smile on her face.

"Maybe we could figure some of this out, together?" Kurt asked softly, looking at her hopefully.

"I'd like to try" said Jane, a smile crossing her face as she looked at him, nodding.

* * *

 _Please let me know what you think – I hope you're enjoying this fic!_

 _I know there was a lot of dialog in this chapter, I hope I didn't bore you!_


	3. Chapter 3

TWO MONTHS

 **Disclaimer** : _I do not own Blindspot or its amazing characters. I just play with them for fun._

 _Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Reade walked into the FBI NYO looking uncharacteristically tired and unkempt. He was returning from a three day stake out, and looked the part. He slowly walked in, and walked over to say hello to his partner, who was sitting perched on the corner of one of the desks, an excited look on her face. "Hey Tasha," he said. Tasha turned to him, smile widening, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. "You're just in time" she said. "Time for what?" asked Reade. "Just stay here. It shouldn't be more than a minute now" she said, glancing over at the elevator excitedly.

Reade glanced at his watch, but while his head was down he felt the air in the room shift. He looked up in confusion, and followed Tasha's glance to the elevator. Out strode Weller and Jane, both practically breathing fire. Weller's face was flushed, jaw clenched tightly closed, scowl on his face, and Reade thought he could actually see a vein at his temple pulsing. Jane looked less angry and more determined. Reade saw the set of her jaw and the steeled look she was giving Weller.

If looks could kill, neither one of them would have made it out of that elevator.

As they walked out, Jane started to turn away from Weller, taking a step towards the locker room. Weller looked at her and growled, "Jane - my office. Now!" Jane stood her ground for a moment, just glaring at Kurt, then turned on her heel and walked to his office, Kurt following right behind, slamming the door behind them. Reade noticed Jane's fists were clenched and the energy rolling off Weller could power a small city.

Reade turned to Zapata as soon as the door closed, "whoa, what was that?!" he asked, shocked. Zapata chuckled, raising her eyebrows as a smile crossed her face. She leaned into her partner and said in a low voice, "Jane followed a lead after Weller told her not to – no one's been able to reach her since yesterday morning" she smiled up at Reade with a knowing look. "He hasn't been able to reach her since yesterday morning?" Reade asked, a surprised look on his face. "Yep" said Zapata, looking back at the closed door of Kurt's office. "Why'd he tell her not to follow it?" Reade asked. Zapata turned back to him, still smiling, "too dangerous," she said. "Oooooh" said Reade, cringing, as they both turned back to look at Weller's office. "How's he been, since yesterday?" Reade asked, already knowing the answer. Tasha just looked at him with a knowing smile and chuckled, shaking her head slowly.

They couldn't see most of what was happening in Weller's office, but they could hear it. The sound proofing wasn't designed for kind of volume. Reade & Zapata sat there for a few minutes, waiting to see what would happen next. They didn't have to wait long; after a few minutes the door abruptly swung open and out came Jane, striding toward the locker room, giving one final glare back at Weller as she left, her green eyes were practically blazing. Through the open door they caught a glimpse of Weller, obviously furious, leaning over onto his desk, every muscle in his body flexed and face flushed. He looked like he was ready to explode.

Zapata looked over at Reade and leaned in to him nodding over at Weller's office. "Even the fern looks like it wanted to escape that conversation" she said with a sly smile. Reade laughed, seeing the partially wilted plant in Weller's office. "Seriously, did it just get hot out here?" asked Reade. Zapata smiled, "I wouldn't be surprised" she said, shaking her head as she turned around and walked back to her office.

Weller shut the door again and stayed in his office most of the afternoon. He was furious. He paced and yelled in his head. When he actually did have to speak to people, he barking orders and terrified his assistant.

It was the second day in a row he couldn't think of anything but Jane, but thinking of Jane only made him angrier.

* * *

Reade was exhausted from his three day stakeout, and was looking forward to a hot shower and a soft bed as soon as possible. But when he walked into the locker room, he ran straight into Jane. She was standing in front of her locker, having an animated conversation with someone else – someone who wasn't there- and cursing under her breath. Reade smiled gently as he approached her. "How's it going, Jane" he asked, partly to let her know he was there, and partly to see if she might want to talk about it. After watching the interaction between Jane and Weller, he thought she might need to get a few things off her chest. Of course, he wasn't certain if she'd be willing to talk with him …

Jane jumped slightly at the question, turning around quickly to look at him. "Oh, hey Reade" she said sadly. She looked at him, offering a forced smile before turning back to her locker. "Just a bad day, I guess" she said over her shoulder, not sure what he had seen of her conversation with Weller.

"Yeah, Tasha said you've been out in the field since yesterday, with no contact, right?" he asked, looking back at her. "Weller didn't react well?" he asked with a smile and a soft chuckle. Jane turned back around to look at Reade, surprised by his comment and not sure how to take it. "I had to ditch comms to finish my mission" she said, voice turning harsh and defensive. He offered a small smile, holding his hands up, before nodding and looking down. "Jane… I'm sure whatever your mission was, it was important. You probably saved the world – I wouldn't put anything past you" he added quickly as he nodded, smiling gently and hoping she would continue to listen. "And I'm not trying to take sides here. I know Weller reacted… strongly," he said, smiling at Jane and raising an eyebrow at her. "He does that sometimes… about things, or people, that are important to him," he added.

Reade paused before continuing, "Jane, what do you think Weller's been doing since yesterday morning?" asked Reade, smiling gently "what's he been thinking about?" he asked softly.

"Just think about it" he added, patting Jane on the shoulder. She looked surprised, and Reade was happy she seemed to be considering it. "I'm glad you're back safe, and good work on whatever your mission was" he added, before walking past her to the showers.

* * *

It was nearly five o'clock when Zapata dared to approach him. She knocked on the door of Weller's office, and waited. "What!?" he barked. Zapata shook her head and rolled her eyes before calmly walking in, closing the door behind her and sitting down. "You wanna talk about it?" she asked. "Tasha-" he said, glaring at her. It was more of a warning than an invitation, but Zapata ignored him. "You can't keep this up forever, at some point you're going to have to deal with it. So let's go, what's up with Jane?" she asked calmly but firmly.

Kurt glowered as he looked at her, and let out an angry sigh. "She went against my direct order. She –" he shook his head and just glared at the wall. "She shouldn't have gone at all and certainly shouldn't have gone on her own. It was too dangerous - completely irresponsible" he said voice rising as he got up to pace some more. "So you were worried about her?" Tasha asked gently. Kurt just glared at her at first, but he stopped pacing momentarily, "yeah," he said softly, looking away before resuming pacing. _His voice sounded a bit calmer at least, maybe even a little sad_ , thought Tasha.

"So why'd she go?" Tasha asked. "She thought she'd be able to intercept a transfer- that chip that Sandstorm needs" he answered. "Wow, that would be amazing" said Tasha, momentarily forgetting why she was there. "Wait, did she _do_ it? Did she get the chip?" she asked. Kurt huffed, "of course she did!" he yelled, frustration spilling over. "And she hid in the woods for 24 hours _by herself_ afterward while they hunted her. She could have-" Kurt stopped himself, just shaking his head, face flushing further. "Why won't she listen- it's not worth it if she ends up dead – why doesn't she see that?" Kurt yelled in exasperation. He was getting angry again just thinking about it.

"But she made it back ok, with the chip, right?" asked Tasha, trying to calm him down. Kurt just glared at her, and Tasha wondered if Kurt had given the same burning looks to Jane. The thought made her laugh inside knowing that what Jane faced would have been so much worse. Tasha stood slowly, approaching Kurt. She felt like a person approaching a tiger at the zoo, but with no wall between them.

But she knew Kurt, and she knew what he needed to hear. "Kurt," she said, standing next to him and looking him straight in the eye, "she's OK, right? She's back, and safe, and she actually got the chip before Sandstorm could, right? That's amazing." She gently rested her hand on his arm, and was surprised by the heat she felt there. _Jesus, he is really about to explode_ , she thought to herself.

"But-" he sputtered. Zapata stopped him - "but nothing, that's great, and knowing Jane, she knew exactly what she was doing, right?" she added. Weller simply turned to glare at her, but his anger seemed to be lessening.

Weller paused, and he leaned his hands on his desk, head dropping in defeat as his eyes closed. "She won't listen to me, Zapata," he said sadly, "she doesn't _trust_ me" he added, shaking his head.

Zapata thought for a moment. "Kurt, after what she's been through…." she said, looking at him sadly. "We didn't know, but that doesn't change what she went through. It's going to take time" she said sadly.

"So how did you find out she was safe?" she asked.

"She called, told me to meet her at her safehouse" he said, frustration and anger still thick in his voice."

Zapata waited, that sounded pretty reasonable to her. Jane was living a double life, and Zapata assumed the obligations of that life would take her into dangerous territory without backup from time to time. She wondered if Weller had come to the same conclusion, Jane certainly had. In fact, she seemed perfectly comfortable with that risk, _perhaps too comfortable_ thought Zapata.

"So, is she OK?" Zapata asked softly.

Weller turned to her with a frightened look, "I don't know. Shit, I don't even know" he said growing pale. He took one last look at Zapata and rushed out of his office.

Zapata slowly shook her head, with a pitying look as she watched Weller leave, searching for Jane. But she smiled as she watched him rush away. At least it was progress.

* * *

Jane wasn't expecting anyone, so she was surprised to hear a knock at her door. She had just finished dinner and was cleaning up the kitchen, thinking about her conversation with Reade earlier. And she remembered what Kurt had said that night at the bar.

 _Today, in the field, when you didn't respond. I couldn't breathe, Jane… and I didn't feel better until I could cover you, and feel you were safe… It's not the first time I've felt that way….  
_ _With you, it's always so strong._

When she returned from the field, Kurt was furious, and they'd immediately started fighting. He yelled at her about being irresponsible and ignoring his orders. She'd reacted with her own anger instead of considering why he might have acting that way.

They were quite a pair, she thought sadly.

She was still distracted by her thoughts when she opened the door, and was surprised to see Kurt standing outside.

"Kurt –?" She wasn't sure what to think of his being there. She hadn't seen him since she left his office, so she knew they weren't on good terms, but after two days in the field she didn't have the energy to fight with him anymore. And honestly, she didn't want to.

"Hey" he said, looking up at her with a smile at the corner of his lips. He looked down at his feet briefly, chewing his lip.

"What are you doing here?" she asked "do you want to come in?" She looked at him; he didn't look angry. If anything, he actually looked nervous, or uncertain- almost sheepish. _What's going on_ , she wondered.

"Sure, thanks Jane" he said. They walked back into her living room. "Can I get you anything, water, beer…" she asked, trying to break the awkward silence. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks" he said. She couldn't help noticing he was looking at her strangely, almost scanning her with his eyes.

"OK, well, have a seat. What's up?" she asked as they sat down on the couch. She sat sideways on the couch next to him, as he sat facing straight forward, elbows on his knees.

It took him a moment, but he looked over at her. He let out a sigh and paused while he looked at her, a kindness in his eyes. "Are you OK?" he asked softly, looking at her with an intensity she hadn't seen since _before_ "I didn't even ask you earlier, when you got back. Are you OK?" he repeated, not blinking.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she said, not understanding what was bothering him. "Couple scratches, and a little light on sleep, but I'm fine."

He nodded, then put his head down. "I'm sorry Jane" he said softly, pausing to look at her before he continued. "I was just-" he stopped, "when you were gone…." He paused again, trying to think of the right words. "I was afraid, and I just lost it, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry, Jane" he said.

As she looked at him, Jane couldn't help noticing how anxious he still looked.

"I'm sorry too" she said. "I wasn't trying to… I guess I'm still getting used to the idea of people worrying about me" she said with a shrug of her shoulders. Then, as a small smile crossed her face, "it's nice… thank you."

"You did good work, Jane - I didn't tell you that either" he said, again shaking his head. "It's not that I doubt you, I just… I want to keep you safe, and I worry that that's more important to me than it is to you sometimes. Promise me you'll take care of yourself, or you'll let me."

"I promise" she said, holding his gaze.

They sat together quietly for a few minutes, neither of them moving.

"So," said Weller carefully, looking over at Jane, "are we OK?"

"We're OK" Jane said, smiling softly at him.

"So... you've been worrying about me for two days?" she asked.

"Yeah, Jane" he said.

"Well, in that case, it sounds like I probably owe you a drink" she said, smile slowly spreading across her face.

Weller laughed, "yes. Yes, I think you do" he said smiling at her, "actually, I think you owe me two, I mean, you were gone for two days…"

"Don't push your luck, Weller" she replied, giving him a warning glance before smiling again.

"OK" he said softly, standing up. As he did, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up to him, wrapping her in a gentle hug, "OK."

Jane smiled and wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the feel of them together. Kurt kissed the top of her head before leaning back to look at her.

His voice shook just a little, "I don't know how it's supposed to work, Jane, but I'm glad I have you"

"Me too," she replied softly. "Now let's go," she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the door.

As they walked outside, both Kurt and Jane enjoyed the feeling of the two of them, moving forward together.

* * *

 _Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you think, I appreciate the feedback._


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